Study of the immunological mechanisms involved in the recrudescence of malaria during pregnancy

• Grant number: 10/03613-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: August 01, 2010
• End date: March 31, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Parasitology - Protozoology of Parasites
• Principal Investigator: Cláudio Romero Farias Marinho
• Grantee: Keitty Raquel Benevides Pereira
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Every year at least 50 millions pregnant women are exposed to malaria infection, representing high life threatening conditions to the mother and the developing fetus. Pregnancy-associated malaria (PAM) is characterized by the parasite sequestration in the maternal placenta with consequent maternal anemia, uterine growth retardation and decreased fetal viability. The high number of risk factors involved in PAM together with the inherent difficulties to study this disease in humans, are the main reasons why the molecular bases of this pathologic dysfunction are still poorly understood. In endemic zones, primigravidae women are more sensitive the malaria during pregnancy when compared to multigravidae. This observation raised the hypothesis of the existence of an accumulative immunity specifically directed to parasite antigens expressed during the pregnancy. Moreover, the infection can be frequently asymptomatic during the pregnancy, suggesting a complex pathogenic mechanism related to the recrudescence phenomena, to the placental injuries and consequently to the retardation of the intrauterine development. This project aims to study the immunopathological mechanisms involved in the recrudescence of the malaria during the pregnancy, using a mouse model that reproduces the pathological characteristics observed in the human disease. This experimental system constitutes an important tool to study the immunological components and mechanisms involved in the protection of multigravidae with pregnancy associated malaria.

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

PEREIRA, Keitty Raquel Benevides. Study of the immunologic mechanisms involved in the recrudescence of experimental malaria during pregnancy.. 2012. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB/SDI) São Paulo.